Category: Printmaking

The Makings of “A Floral Revolution”

I love being an illustrative printmaker. But, for a long time I avoided accepting this about myself. I felt an extraordinary pressure to be a ‘real’ artist, not an illustrator. This stemmed from the fact that most of my crit sessions from university had the word “illustration” dropped into the feedback I received, and not in a nice way. I felt as if, unless I was able to break away from my illustrative tendencies, my work would never be accepted, never be successful and never be taken seriously.

Without anyone ever explicitly saying it, this is what it felt was the definition of being an Illustrator:

To illustrate, Illustration, Illustrative.

A sell-out artist.

Colloquial swearword in art world.

Artistic masturbation.

Not real art.

Nope.

Evidence of a lack of talent, skill and conceptual depth.

To make worthless pictures no one important will ever like.

A waste of time.

Rudimental escapism.

Not a worthy artistic pursuit.

Boring.

Ag, shame.

Art taboo.

Pictures to hang in your bathroom.

Over the last few years I have come to realise the power of illustration. I have also realised that there is so much space for it in the art world. There is enough space for conceptually complex art to exist alongside illustrative work, and that neither need to compete with each other.

This year, in particular, I have come to fully embrace and enjoy my illustrative tendencies. I’ve come to realise that being able to make art full time is one hell of a generous and rare career – and that I shouldn’t be wasting this precious opportunity on trying to make anything other than what I really want to: fun, playful, humourous illustrations.


So, in some ways, this artwork feels like a revolt against all those unspoken undercurrents that weave their way into the beliefs of so many talented artists. “A floral Revolution” is the absolute act of revolt against my own fear of pursuing illustration. It is a way of standing up against the voices who littered my own thinking about art, being told not to make pretty pictures of pretty things just because they’re pretty.

With 35 screenprinted layers, this “illustration” is the most complex and challenging artwork I have ever endeavoured. It is a celebration of illustration.

Here are the 35 layers:

A Floral Revolution

This piece is on display and available for purchase this month at The Printing Girls’ annual exhibition at The Art Room (Parkhurst, JHB). The show opens on the 4th of July and runs until the 31st of July.

The printing process of A Floral Revolution:

The Makings of “Monkey’s Wedding”

It’s so much a part of our vernacular that I assumed it was like any ordinary idiom, used around the world and understood by most people as a ‘sun-shower’. That magical moment when the sun is shining AND it is raining, and everything glimmers and feels unreal.

There are few things as extraordinary as a Monkey’s Wedding in the heat of a South African day. I can remember the tangible excitement that would flush over me as a child when I realised we were having a Monkey’s wedding. And now, as an adult, I still find Monkey’s Weddings captivating: the rain pouring down for these few fleeting moments while the sun is shining cheerfully through the clouds; making the light, raindrops, and atmosphere all around me shimmer.

And then, as quick as it came, it was gone. Like all magic.

The saying, Monkey’s wedding, comes from a Zulu phrase in South Africa,

umshado wezinkawu

Translation: A Wedding of Monkeys

I can’t wait to see Fynch’s reaction to seeing their first Monkey’s Wedding in our backyard.

The Process

As with most of my work, this piece started in my sketchbook.

While in the middle of our home renovation and restricted bed rest, I drew up the key layer for this print. Jazz-cat offered immense support and kept me company.

A couple months later, finally set free from bedrest and in my new studio (whoop whoop), I then went on to draw out each of the other colour layers for this print. There are 9 colours in total. The last one, pearlescent, is a transparent shiny layer, to give the glimmering effect of the rain during a Monkey’s Wedding.

This is how the positives look, stacked on top of each other as they will be printed:

And just for fun, I thought i’d make a crude colour representation for you to visualise in colour what the final print might look like:

The Makings of “Splish Splash”

This piece was inspired by the nostalia of music from my childhood. Music is such an integral part of my memories. “Splish Splash” by Bobby Darin takes me straight back to the lounge I grew up in, dancing and twirling around with my brother and dad.

Taking inspiration from this memory I imagined a scene in my garden with a few Indian Minas and my ever-up-to-no-good Pluto cat.

The mischievous fun had in the lounge of my childhood is re-imagined in the lives of the beautiful creatures that bring me so much entertainment now.

And, of course, a major driving force of this piece is imagining that stories we will create with Fynch, opening up the greatest strength and power any of us have – our wild imaginations.

Pluto assisting in the planning on “Splish Splash”

Each Separate positive layer created for this screenprint

Layering each positive

Now that the positives are done, all that is left to do is expose the screens and print the edition. It was be an edition of 5 prints, each 60x60cm large. I”m really looking forward to printing this one. I spent a lot of time thinking about the layering and textures within the leaves and bushes. 🙂

The Makings of “When Pigs Fly”

This print started in my head. It skipped my sketchbook entirely.

Mark’s instagram photo that became the inspiration for this piece.

This photo was taken during sunset at our old home in Alberton. We had such a wonderful time in that home, and the sunsets were always spectacular. Unreal almost, with a touch of magical realism. We spent almost five years in that home – easily our five happiest years spent together. We made deep friendships and connected with the vast nature there that we were fortunate enough to be surrounded by.

So, if you had told me that I would uproot my happy little life in Alberton, to move to Pretoria, to be closer to our families, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A CHILD, I would have thought you mad. Leaving Alberton was not on my to-do list, and having children was not on my life’s plan. I was not the maternal type who felt broody or dreamed of a big family one day. I was content to spend all my days with Mark and our fur-babies. Worse still, the more my mother insisted that, “one day you will feel differently”, the more I insisted I would not.

Friends were falling pregnant left, right and centre. Ensuring the population growth would steadily continue and I had all the reasons in my mind for why not having children was what I wanted. I was content. Mark, however, had always wanted a big family and dreamed of being a dad. He knew going into our relationship that we were not on the same page, and it was settled right from the get-go that we would not have children. We would be non-breeders. When people asked me when we are having kids, I either told them we do not want children, or, the more socially accepted version, “Not yet, we’re not ready”. There was a lot of pressure to have children, but it didn’t change my mind. Having a child was not something to casually happen upon, and until my mind was well and truly changed, I was not falling into the parent-club ‘trap’ unwillingly.

But then.

In the last two years something started to change though. I started becoming broody, but not in the way you would think. I started to see Mark with babies and children from friends and family members and I could tangibly feel his yearning for his own child. Something I couldn’t understand, or relate to, but was so real. My broodiness, on his behalf, grew until it overtook my own stubborn assuredness of not wanting to be a mother.

So when I finally realised that I did want a child, we moved back to Pretoria. Back home.

This piece, “When Pigs Fly” is about that surreal magical realism that happened in my heart slowly over the last few years. In a plot-twist to my own life’s planned narrative, I’m now sitting at home, five weeks left in this pregnancy and I could not be happier or more excited to be venturing into motherhood. With Mark by my side. And the fur-babies.

Turns out, pigs do fly. And they’ll be flying this July (we’re waiting, Fynch! Come on!).

The phrase “when pigs fly” is an adynaton—a figure of speech so hyperbolic that it describes an impossibility. The implication of such a phrase is that the circumstances in question will never occur. The phrase has been used in various forms since the 1600s as a sarcastic remark.

The Process:

I started with an image in my mind’s eye of the piece I wanted to make. I knew Mark’s Instagram was full of beautiful photos to choose from, so I spent some time nostalgically going through his profile until I settled on this image.

I then used Photoshop to mock-up my concept. Using Mark’s photo and images I found on the internet, I combined these elements to create something visual that could represent what I was imagining the work to look like.

Once happy with the composition, I sketched out the image on a 60x60cm cartridge paper. At this point I simplify the images to fit my screenprinting style, while also adding in specific elements that form the visual vocabulary of my work – like the pink clouds. 

Now it’s time to make the positives. This part is so meditative, but can also be really tricky – making sure that my registration between layers stays as close to perfect as I can get it. I make my positives with permanent markers on acetate.

The first layer I have created a positive for will actually be the last layer I print! And it will be the purple layer. It is my “key” layer which helps me keep all my other layers in registration.

These are all the separate positives I have created for “When Pigs Fly”. Below is a GIF to show you how they each layer over each other, in the correct order I will be printing them: Light Pink, Dark Pink, Light Green, Dark Green, Purple, Aqua and yellow.

Now all that is left to do is expose each positive, and print the edition!

My New Studio!

I’ve come a long way from my first art studio in the dusty, cold garage in our Alberton home to the beautiful space in our backyard in Pretoria now.

When we found out we were pregnant I knew that I had to make an outside studio a priority. When we moved into our home in Pretoria I set up my studio in the middle of the house, and true to my messy nature, it tended to spread out across the entire house. My equipment was spread between the garage, house, outside areas, and really any spot I could find and negotiate my way into.

I’ve really tried to be as non-toxic as I can be with my printmaking process, but the reality is that there are no true non-toxic processes – only less-toxic. My chemicals, inks, emulsions, paints, acid baths, and sharp tools, all immediately looked a lot more dangerous and imposing than it did before pregnancy. A lot of my equipment is also very bulky, with sharp edges, and loud noises. With a baby on it’s way, the home-studio was no longer a functional space. Nor was the idea of renting a studio space outside of our property.

We are fortunate enough to have a really large property with a generous backyard. (it used to be a small vegetable farm in the 50s). So, we began to plan the studio space. Early on in the planning, Mark found the most magnificent 3m tall doors on Facebook Marketplace only a few roads down from us! We quickly bought them and then planned the studio around the door specs. I wanted an industrial look and feel, so that I wouldn’t feel bad messing the space up. I’ve only been in here for little over a month and the floor and walls already have so much ink and paint splattered on them. I also needed a space with a lot of natural light, so we sourced beautiful large cottage pane windows for my office section of the studio, and re-used windows from our main home renovation as the other windows in the studio. In fact, the window from my old home-studio is now in my new garden studio!

It took two weeks. TWO WEEKS. But it would be amiss if I didn’t tell you that the only reason we were able to do this so quickly and beautifully was by the generosity of our family and friends. I cannot explain to you how enormously stressful this renovation has been. There were days where I felt utterly broken and that I would never get out of the anxious muddy haze I was trapped in. Yet, at every step in the process we were rallied by family and friends bringing us meals, groceries, distractions and support. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I would not have made it through were it not for these humans!

During this time, my pillar of emotional strength (you know who you are) stood with me in my backyard and told me, “just blink a few times and imagine it finished, visualise the end of this”. It was impossible to do that then, but as I sit in my studio now, it really does feel like it was a few blinks ago that it was muddy plaster and a dusty catastrophe.

I could not be happier in my studio space. Now, all my equipment fits functionally all in one space. I’m far away from the noise of the street, tucked away in the lush beauty of our garden. I’m joined daily by my dogs and cats who have each found their respective favourite spots in the studio. There is space beside my in the office nook to have a camping cot, or pram for Fynch. There is sunshine flooding in

Well, that’s that! I hope you enjoyed this and come visit soon! x

My first NFT: Giddyup

Giddyup is my first NFT (Non-Fungible Token).

Wikipedia explains it as a unit of data stored on a digital ledger, called a blockchain, that certifies a digital asset to be unique and therefore not interchangeable. NFTs can be used to represent items such as photos, videos, audio, and other types of digital files. 

Wikipedia Article

I am totally out of my depth here, and just like jumping on a horse (which I don’t do) – is quite the bumpy ride.

This piece is my first on Photoshop as well, I’ve learned how to use my Wacom tablet, and make my first patterns – I literally went crazy! I also learned that with different variants of pressure, the brushes that I made could be applied differently.

Giddyup being my first for a digital take on my screen-printing process, I thought having a fun poke at Circus/Entertainment park would be thoughtful seeing that I’ve not been able to be there for a long time. I can just image myself riding this horse into the pink clouds, and following the yellow sun rays out and about my garden.

I hope this piece brings you as much joy as it does me – and let us all go to the closest carnival as soon as possible; even if it is in our backyard with a fake horse.

If you are the owner of this NFT, you will be able to unlock hidden content in the form of animations and dual-use backgrounds for your Mobile, Tablet and Computer. Watch the upcoming month for a series of animated stop motion GIFs as your piece comes to life.

Ride on well!

P.s. If you’re still confused about what NFTs are…here is a podcast all about them! (Thanks Korien!) CLICK HERE

Imitation of Life 2021

This winter I am taking part in Lizamore & Associates’ online exhibition, “Imitation of Life”. To see the catalogue my work is in, click HERE.

I have created a small body of work for the show. My collection of colourful, imaginative illustrations are meant to focus on the magical and humourous moments of life. My budgies are the cheeky alter-ego of my own imagination. They live whimsically, reminding us to stop taking life so seriously. Now, more than ever, we need to seek out the small joys and amusements life has to offer. With childlike enthusiasm we should expect the sun to rise on a new day of adventure, we should stare in wonder at the sky during a Monkey’s Wedding, and we should damn well have our cake and eat it!

This series of work was printed with the wonderful help of Cloudia Rivett-Carnac at Chocolate Ink Studio in Edenvale.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the works, you can contact the gallery directly or email me 🙂 hello@amyjanevdb.com

The Makings of “Partedahs”

Love them or hate them, Hadeda’s are everyday familiar visitors to any South African home. The sound of one passing Hadeda is enough to startle you, but when a colony of Hadedas (yup, that’s their collective noun) lands on your wall or roof, it takes a strong constitution to not jump right out of your skin or stare with indignation out of your window.

Quite frankly, they should be known as “a SCREECH of Hadedas”, or better yet, “a PARTY of Hadedas”. Colony sounds far too dignified and pompously colonial.

During my time in bed-rest earlier this year I became a lot more aware of my surroundings, and almost looked forward to the daily screech and visit of the neighbourhood Hadeda flock. They reminded me of the noisy, teenagers I used to teach – in their own world, completely oblivious to the noise and disruption they were making. Joyful and full of stories. Without any warning they would arrive as loudly as they possibly could, much like my Grade 10s students would arrive for art lessons. Caught up in midway conversations and social cues, enraptured in their own world. And as suddenly as they arrive, swiftly they’re off to their next hang-out.

In my screenprint I have designed for “Partedahs” I have created the scene I envision happening daily on my roof. And now every time I hear this unruly gang of Hadedas screeching on my roof I enjoy imagining them in some version of this image.

The print will be screenprinted onto Fabriano. The image size is 60x60cm, the paper size 70x70cm. I will OF COURSE be using my usual mix of pinks and greens, while introducing some more neons too. It will be a 9 layered screenprint.

The Process:

Hopefully this provides a bit more insight for you about the process and planning that goes into screenprinting.

1. This was the initial sketch in my sketchbook, during bed-rest, that inspired the piece.
2. During our renovations Mark and I packed up our entire house, except the kitchen and bathroom, and lived in Fynch’s room. Picture a Dr Seuss balancing act of furniture. That was life for 2 months. We had just enough space around the bed to get in and out of the bed. And, during this time I was still on bedrest. In the middle of the furniture piled up on top of each other, and under a frighteningly large amount of baby clothes and nappies, I began creating the final image of “Partedahs”. I draw these final sketches for my prints on drafting film so that they are transparent and I can start to add differed layers.
3. This image shows 5 transparent layers placed on top of each other. Although it is in black and white, each layer, once exposed/burned onto one of my silkscreen screens, will be printed in either a shade of pink or green.
4. This is all 9 layers placed on top of each other. Below is a GIF for you to see how each layer builds on from one another. It’s tedious work that takes a lot of concentration. I also find that working in black and white, but thinking in colour, makes my brain hurt! I work with transparent colours, so I also have to think about the different colours they will make when overlaid. For example, if I layer green over pink it creates a brown!

So, now all 9 positives are ready to be exposed/burned onto my screens. I also have to decide how big I want to make this edition. I like to keep my editions small, but I’m thinking that I might do an edition of 10. (Thats quite big for me!). Watch this space to see the print progress 🙂

I will make sure to film how I expose/burn these 9 layers onto 9 different screens, and then go about printing them. I’m hoping to have them printed this coming month. Fingers crossed x

Lockdown Post-it Note Collages

I’ve started a new, fun side-line project making collages onto post-it notes. Collages that express how I feel about the times.⁠ Post-it notes are used to illustrate ideas, or jot down important information. Using them as the starting point for these collages helps me to ‘jot down’ the most important ideas, moments, defining elements of lockdown, personally. THey’re a way for me to record this unusual time, and remember it. To acknowledge the significant events and changes in the way I think, that have come about through Covid19 2020 lockdown.

Unsung Art

Click on Unsung’s Logo to listen to my Podcast Episode

During July 2020 I was interviewed by Warren and Inge from Unsung Art Podcast. I’ve worked with Unsung Art for years, and admire their continued efforts to give lesser-recognised artists in SA a platform to show and sell their work.

Unsung Art was launched in 2014 by Jessica Kramer as a means to give local artists an opportunity to sell their work online. Since then, it has been taken over by current owner/operators Inge and Warren, whose vision for the brand has bolstered it into one of the foremost online marketplaces for original South African art.Unsung Art strives to create a fantastic customer experience with each parcel wrapped with our uniquely branded packaging and a personalized note to the client, which can be customized for gifting.

Local artists now have a space to showcase their works and grow their art career in a safe and open environment.

With art for anyone’s taste, great customer service and free national shipping, there is no reason not to support the amazing local art talent in our beautiful country.

I have a selection of artworks available at Unsung Art online gallery.

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Pretora, South Africa